An American Author: Lois Lowry

An American Author:Lois Lowry Nesrin Bakir & Karen Ferneding CI 335 PowerPoint Project

Lois Lowry(1937-present) • Twice-time winner of the Newberry Medal http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/lowry.html

Lois Lowry: Background • born March 20, 1937 in Hawaii to Robert and Katharine Hammersberg. • her father was an Army dentist and the family lived all over the world. • has addressed a number of topics in her literature including adoption, mental illness, cancer, the Holocaust, and futuristic societies

Selected Works A Summer to Die, 1977 Anastasia Again! 1981 See You Around Sam!, 1996 The Giver, 1993 Anastasia Has the Answers, 1986

Imagine a World Void of Colorand Emotion • No music • No change of season or traditional holidays • No expression of emotion • No memories, either positive or negative

Welcome to the world of“The Giver” http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/giver.html

Plot Overview • Science fiction story about a 12-year-old boy who must choose between a world of sameness or one filled with both the intense joys and pains of life. • Jonas lives in a "perfect" world, devoid of strife or conflict. • When Jonas begins training for his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory, he meets his teacher, a man called The Giver.

The Main Character • Jonas, a young boy, receives his life's assignment along with others of his age group. • To his astonishment he is given the most respected job of all -- to become the "Receiver of Memory.”

What is “The Giver?” • In the Utopian society Lowry has created, people-- • don't want to be burdened with memories. • don't want to make decisions or changes which, in the past, have led to disaster so they have assigned one person to keep all the memories of history, their own and that of all societies.

The Role of “The Receiver” • to listen to community members’ proposals and just tell them whether or not they should do it based on the lessons of history.

Jonas Becomes “The Receiver” • The present Receiver now sets about giving the memories- all of them - to Jonas. He does so through all of the senses. • Jonas learns of war and hate, of trees and colors.. all of which are not present in this society. • He also learns of the horror all around him.

As the Giver transfers to Jonas the memories of the world…. • Jonas begins to realize that his seemingly perfect world has many flaws. • In the end, Jonas recognizes the hypocrisy on which the community is based and crafts a way to "free" everyone from this Sameness.

The Setting • The society seems ideal-- • All havea job for which they are especially suited. • The elderly and newest members are lovingly cared for. • There is much laughter and joy.

Themes The Importance of Memory memory is essential, so The Committee of Elders designates a Receiver to remember history for the community. The Relationship Between Pain and Pleasure there can be no pleasure without pain and no pain without pleasure.

Writing Assignment • A “Utopia” is a perfect society. A “Dystopia” is a world that appears to be perfect, but is not. Write a short story that depicts a dis/utopian place.

Sources • http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/giver • Definition of Utopia • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia • Utopian Philosophy: How to Achieve it; Merging Reality and Utopia; and Views of What Utopia May Be Like • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia

An American Author: Lois Lowry